“Climate Justice in an Ethically Complex World”

It is crucial that our shared understanding of justice incorporates the challenges arising from absolute scarcity, the likely trade-offs between different interests and values, and the many uncertainties that will accompany the transition. Climate activists must initiate conversations about these topics within the movement; otherwise, we may find the transition’s strongest advocates paralyzed when ethical dilemmas arise. Once we acknowledge the many limits we face, justice will probably look quite different than it did in the fossil fuel age, when abundant energy and resources provided quick yet superficial solutions to human problems. We’ll need to stimulate broad public discussion and recognition of this new vision of justice to have any chance of passing policies informed by it. If we can learn to navigate the ethical complexities of our non-ideal world, we will be much better prepared to transform it.